Crates, particularly bottle crates



1950 H. MANNHEIMER 2,936,929

cams, PARTICULARLY BOTTLE camxs Filed 001;. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/VVEIVTOR HE NR I K MAM HHMH? May 17, 1960 H. MANNHEIMER 2,936,929

CRATES, PARTICULARLY BOTTLE CRATES Filed Oct. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HENRI/4 MANNHE/MER M ATTURNEYS w 5 UAW HV. u H H a V o o a o v g f l O. O J M; $255, 2:2; :2 UHHAA WHT V H ME A f a 6 United States Patent 2,936,929 CRATES, PARTICULARLY BOTTLE CRATES Henrik Mannheimer, Goteborg, Sweden Application October 8, 1957, Serial No. 688,997 Claims priority, application Sweden October 9, 1956 2 Claims. '(Cl. 220-97) The present invention relates to crates, particularly bottle crates, of the kind in which the under side of the crate bottom is provided with a frame situated below a plane through the lower edges of the crate walls, which frame, when a number of crates are piled atop each other, serves as a guide for the crates. v

Especially when transporting crates by means of mechanical conveyors, and more particularly when the crates are heavily loaded, these frames are subject to excessive wear, necessitating frequent and costly repair.

In the crate according tothe present invention, the risk for wear has been highly reduced. The crate is essentially characterized in that the bottom is freely movable in a vertical direction between two stop positions, in the upper of which the under surface of the frame is situated in or above said plane through the lower edges of the crate walls.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by the fact, that in the, lower stop position the bottom rests against a flange parallel to the bottom and formed by a metal strip of angular cross-section placed around the crate and forming the lower part of the crate walls.

One embodiment of the invention is accompanying drawing in which:

illustrated the Figure 1 is a side elevation of aerate acoordingto the invention;

"Figure 2 is a top plan elevation of the crate with one corner portion of the walls cut away;

Figure 3 shows the crate from the underside; and

2,936,929 Patented May 17, 1960 ice 2 be situated in a lower stop position, resting against the horizontal flanges 5 of the angle iron with the frame 6a situated below a plane through the flanges 5 which constitute the lower edges of the crate walls. The frame 6a thereby serves as a guide between the crates. When the crate is placed upon a plane surface (as is shown in the lowerportion of Figure 4), the bottom 6 will be raised from'the aforesaid position to a position in which the under side of the frame 6a is situated in the plane of the flanges 5. In this way, the angle iron of the lower- 'most crate in a pile will take up the weight of the other open bottom, means extending from said crate body. at

the open bottom thereof forming a base for supporting said crate when positioned on a surface and having said bottom member positioned therein, said means including an inwardly extending lateral flange with said I bottom member loosely positioned between and limited in its movement by said flange and said crate body and said body member havingan extension capable of extending outwardly of said flange when said bottom member rests on said flange for serving as a guide in the stacking of said crate on an open top crate therebeneath.

2 A stacking crate comprising a crate body having an open top and bottom, an angle member having one side connected to the exterior of and extending from said crate body bottom portion with another side of said angle member extending inwardly and laterally of said crate body forming a base for said crate, a bottom member slidably positioned between and extending laterally of the first mentioned side of said angle member, said Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section through a couple 7 of crates placed one. atop the other. y

The four walls 1 of the right-angled crate mayfor instance be made from plywood, and to the lower portion of said walls there is attached, by means of screws 2,

the vertical flange 4 of aistrip in the form of an angle iron surrounding the crate. The crate bottom 6, the

under side of which is provided with a frame 6a, is freely A movable vertically between the second, horizontal flange 5 of the angle iron and the lower edge of the main body of the walls 1. v

As will be evident from the upper portion of Figure 4, the bottom 6 of a crate placed atop another crate will angle member second side and said crate body forming stops limiting the slidingof said bottom member to and from said crate body at the open bottom thereof and a frame connected to said bottom member and extending therefrom which frame is capable of extending outwardly of said angle member second side when said bottom member is positioned on said second side forming a guide for stacking said crate on a crate therebelow and being positioned within said angle member when said bottom 2 member contacts said crate body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,496,965 Swingle Feb. 1, 1950 2,561,561 Cella July 24, 1951 

